Interleaving device



Aug. 28, 1928.

- 1,682,699 E. J. BRASSEUR INTERLEAVING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 L H' IIIIHHI II l ll l llmwnmlu IH HHIHHM if H 754v ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1928.

E. J. BRASSEUR INTERLEAVING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1Q; ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,699

E. J. BRASSEUR INTERLEAVING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q 8* TNVEItITOR 66K 7 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST JOSEPH BRASSEUR, OF, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. DICK COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

INTERLEAVING DEVICE.

Application filed August 15, 1927. Serial No 213,163.

The invention relates to interleaving devices and particularly to means for preventing ofi'set or blurring between freshly inked sheets, such as are delivered by duplicating machines and the like. The development in the art of multiplying copies has resulted in sheets being sheet is apt to'eontact with another before the ink is dry, and sundry suggestlons have been made contemplating the interleaving of the sheets with blotters or the like to prevent smudging. None of the means heretofore suggested has been found suificiently eflieient and practicable, the shortcomings resultlng from one or more of a variety of defects such as the character of the separator introduced between the sheets, the means for detachlng each separator from the stack, the dependence on gravity alone for delivering the se arator, ineificient provision for timing, or t e complication and cost of the mechanism. The general objects of the present invention are to provide means for preventing offset or smudging between such sheets, which avoid the shortcomings of prior suggestions and may be used and operated more rapidly and efficiently and without undue cost.

With theseand other objects in view, the invention comprises a suitable separator, means for holding a stack or collectionof such separators and detaching a single separator from the stack, means for positively or forcibly delivering the separator, and means incidental to the foregoing, all properly actuated and timed by suitable connection with the machine delivering the sheets. In the accompanying drawing one preferred form of the invention is i ustrated. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism, with the parts in the position assumed just prior to detaching one separator from the stack, shown assembled with a part of any duplicating or other machine delivering sheets; Fig. 2 is a view of a separator on top of a stack of interleaved separators and sheets; Fig. 3 is'a section on line 33 of Fig. 9; Fig. 4 is a partial side elevationin the position assumed at the beginning of the detaching of one separator from the stack; Fig. 5 is a similar partial elevation from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 4, with the parts in the position assumed ust before the positive delivery of the separator;

delivered so rapidly that one showing the parts Fig. 6 is a detail of the member holding and assisting in detaching the separator from the stack; Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. 1; and Figs. 10 and 11 are enlarged details of the grippers.

The separator l illustrated in Fig. 2 con sists of a piece of material of a size suitable for interleaving between the sheets but preferably differing from the sheet in shape or size so as to leave a portion of the sheet uncovered, as by the omission of a corner of the separator, as at 3, or by making the separator narrower than the sheet or extending beyond it, as at 2, to facilitate the easy removal of the separators from the sheets after the ink on the sheets has dried. The chief function of the separator is to keep the sheets apart to permit drying of the ink, and it may accordmgly be made of any suitable material, preferably strawboard paper or other material of suflicient stifl'ness to make most eifective the operation of the positive delivery means hereinafter described, and, for the same purpose, is lprovided with a hole 4 near its center when t e particular delivery means illustrated are used. p

The means for holding a stack of separators and detaching a single separator therefrom, comprise a receptacle 5 adapted to hold the stack and mechanism to remove a single separator. -The receptacle illustrated comprises a bottom upon which the separators stand, having a catch or stop 6, together with spring-pressed means, as 32, kee ing the catch in contact with the stack af t er rators are removed therefrom; a'frame 8; and a spring-pressed member 9 (shown in detail in Fig. 6) extending over the to of the stack thereagainst, its to stack to admit air etween it and the stack and it is then forced downward and outside the catch 6, to insure efiicient detachment from the stack and operation oft-he delivery means. The mechanism for moving the separator against the spring-pressed member 9 comprises gri ping members 10 (as in the form illustrate in detail in Figs. 10 and 11) made of rubber or comprising metal teeth and mounted and actuated so as to be brought into contact with the face of the outside separator sepaof the stack and elevate that separator, in proper timing with the operations as hereinafter described.

These holding and detaching means are mounted at an appropriate distance from the sheet delivering machine, as by brackets 11, and separated therefrom by a receiving table 12, also conveniently mounted by attachment to the sheet delivering machine and the separator receptacle, and preferably provided with a drawer for the convenient removal of the interleaved stack. The gripping members 10 are shown mounted on arms 13 on the yoke 14 supported by arms 15 pivotally mounted on a bell crank mechanism 16 on the shaft 17 moved by a connection 18 with a crank 19 on the gear shaft of the sheet feeding mechanism so that a separator is elevated and detached from the stack at the proper time with respect to the feeding of the sheet. The torsion springs 37 permit the arms 15 to yield relatively to the crank arms 16.

The means for delivering the separator are shown as consisting of a plunger 20 carried by a crank 21 mounted on a shaft 22, the plunger being so positioned as to pass through the hole 4 in the separators when stacked in the receptacle 5. The shaft 22 is mounted on the frame and provided with a crank 23 connected by a spring-pressed arm 24 to a lever 25 mounted on the support of the sheet delivering machine and carrying a roll bearing against a cam or roller 26 with a drop therein mounted on the gear shaft, so that as a sheet is fed at the proper time the drop in the roller 26 permits the spring to move the arm 24, turning the shaft 22 and moving the plunger 20 against the Separator (which at that stage of the operation has descended so that the end of the plunger contacts with a portion above the hole) exerting force thereon to insure its rapid delivery on to of the sheet. On the shaft 22 there are pre erably also mounted two side guides 27 mov ing as the plunger moves and further insuring accuracy in delivering the separator.

o prevent interference by the gripping member mechanism with the delivery of the separators, provision is made for moving and keeping that mechanism out of reach of the separator during its downward. movement, illustrated as comprising providing one side ofthe arms of the yoke 14 with a pin 28 engaged by a cam 29 fixed to the frame to force the yoke 14 out from the stack (when the operation has reached a stage where the separator has been detached from the stack and moved downward and before the plunger contacts therewith) and providing the other side of the arms of the yoke 14 with a pin 30 engaged by a notch in a gravity arm 31 mounted on the frame and adapted to hold the yoke away from the separator until the downward movement of the arm 15 causes the pin to leave the notch, prior to the beginpleted their upward movement. The pin 30.

remains in the notch in the end of the arm 31 as the arms 15 move downwardly and consequently the arms 15 are forcedoutwardly clear of the stack of separators until the arm 31 encounters the stop 36. Thereupon further continued downward movement of the arms 15 frees the pin 30 from the notch in the arm 31, permitting the springs 37 to move the arms 15 inwardly to bring the gripping members 10 into engagement with the outermost separator.

To insure accuracy of operation it is preferable to provide for the intermittent compression of the bottom of the stack of separators, as illustrated articularly in Fig. 3, wherein the tension l dver'32 fulcrumed on the frame with one arm bearing against the stack and the other arm provided with a spring 33, is alsoprovided with an arm 34 engaged by a crank 35 on the shaft 17 carrying the bell crank mechanism 16, so that the pressure on the separators against the catch 6 is removed at that stage of the operation when one of the separators is to be moved upward by the gripping members and reapplied in time to prevent its reentry behind the catch. The inclined position of the table 12 illustrated is preferable, because it permits of handling long and short sheets without adjustment. But it will be understood that the invention may be used in forms not embodying the details and refinements of the referred forms herein illustrated.

T e operation of the mechanism will be apparent from the drawings and description. As the sheet (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3) is fed from the sheet producing machine, a separator is detached from the stack by the movement of the crank 19 through its connections with the gripping members 10,

forcing a separator up against the resilient member 9 which causes it to move outwardly and then imparts positive downward motion to it, so that it descends until one end rests on the end of the sheet on the receiving table, whereupon force in addition to gravity is applied to it by the plunger 20 to further its fall and delivery on top of the sheet. It is to be observed that the separator is simple, inexpensive and particularly adapted to the practice of this invention and that provision is made for positively detaching it from the stack and positively delivering it to the sheet in such fashion that it rolls from its bottom without sliding motion likely to produce smirching, and thus offset or burring between freshly inked sheets however rapidly delivered, may be efiiciently prevented.

The followin claims are made 1. A device or .inserting separators be tween successively delivered sheets, comprising means for holding a collection of separators above a table receiving the sheets, means for releasing a separator from thecollection to descend on its end to a sheet on the receiving table, and means for exerting force against the descended separator to assist it to a position parallel to the table.

2. A device for inserting separators between successively delivered sheets, comprising means for holding a collection of separators above a table receiving the sheets, means for detaching a separator from the collection and exerting force thereagainst to further its descent to a position wherein its end rests on a sheet on the table, and means for causing said separator to fall to a position parallel to the table. a

3. A device for inserting separators between successivel delivered sheets, comprising means for holding a collection of separators, means for-releasing a separator from the collection and means for exerting force against the released separator in a direction to assist in delivering it to a delivered sheet.

4. A device for inserting separators between successively delivered sheets, compristors, means connected with and actuated by the sheet delivering mechanism for detaching a separator from the collection, and

a means connected with and timed by the sheet "a retaining stop at the edge thereof, and

means to secure contact between said stop and the stack after the removal of a separator therefrom, in combination with means to elevate a separator to permit its bottom to pass over said stop.

6. In a device for inserting separators between successively delivered sheets, a platform to support a stack of separators provided with a retaining stop at the edge thereof and means to secure intermittent pressure of the stack against the stop, in combination with means for elevating a separator to mit its bottom to pass over the stop.

7. In a device for inserting separators between successively delivered sheets, a support for a stack of separators, means for elevating a separator from the stack and resilient means contacting with the topof the separator when elevated to move it out from the stack and force it downward. I

8. In a device for inserting separators between successively delivered sheets, means for 111g means for holding a collection of separa-- 9. In a device for inserting separators be- I tween successively delivered sheets, means for releasing a separator from a collection thereof, and a member arranged to contact with the separator and exert force against it to further its delivery to a delivered sheet, said member being moved by a force independent of the sheet delivering mechanism, the operation of which is timed by connection with said mechanism.

10. In a device for inserting separators between successively delivered sheets, a frame providing support for a collection of sepa-. rators, two shafts supported by the frame, each connected with the sheet feeding mechanism for intermittent movement timed by its operation, means for detaching a separator from the stack operated'by the movement of one shaft, and means for exerting force against the detached separator operated by the movement of the other shaft.

11. In a device for inserting separators between successively delivered sheets, a support for holding a stack of separators in vertical position, and means for moving the external separator relative to the stack comprising a gripping member movable by bell crank mechanism operatively connected with the sheet feeding mechanism;

12. In a device for inserting separators be tween successively delivered sheets, a support for holding a stack of separators in vertical position, means for moving a separator relative to the stack comprising a contacting device movable by connection with the sheet feeding mechanism, and means for intermittently moving and holding said device away from the stack.

13. The combination with means for delivering printed sheets successively, of a se ries of separators consisting of material of stiffness and strength suitable to withstand the action of a force exerted against them to assist them into position between the printed sheets, each of said separators being provided with a hole and the separators being arranged in a stackwith the holes all in alinement', and a device for inserting the separators successively between the delivered sheets comprising, means for supporting the stack of separators, means for moving a separator to bring its hole out of alinemen't with the holes in the other separators, and means adapted to act throughthealined holes and exert force against the moved separator to assist in delivering it to a delivered sheet. 7

14. The combination with means for delivering printed sheets successively, of a se- -ries of separatorsconsisting of material of stifiness and strengthsuita e to withstand 'tion thereof and provided with a v to permit the passage of the plunger therethrough, said separators being arranged in a stack with the holes all in alinement, and a.

device for inserting the separators successively between the deiivered sheets comprising, means for supporting the stack of separators, means for moving a separator so that its hole is out of alinement with the holes in the other separatols, a plunger adapted to pass through the alined holes and strike the moved separator to assist in pushing it to a delivered sheet, and means for actuating the plunger.

15. The combination with means for de- I livering printed sheets successively, of a series of separators consistin of material of.

stiffness and strength suita le to withstand the force of a plungerexerted against a portion thereof and provided with a hole adapted to permit the passage of the plunger therethrough, said separators being arrangedvertically in a stack with vthe holes all in alinement, and a device for inserting the separators successively between the de ivered sheets assist 'inpushing it onto a delivered sheet, I

and means for actuating the plunger.

16. The combination with means for delivering printed sheets successively, of a series of separators, each separator having a hole therein, and the separators being arranged in a stack with the 'holes all in alinement, and a device for interleaving the printed sheets ,with the separators comprising, means for holding the stack of separators, means for moving one of the separators to a position in which its hole is out of alinement with the holesin the other se arators, and means adapted to act through the alined holes to exert force against the moved separator to further its delivery onto a delivered sheet.

ERNEST JOSEPH BRASSEUR. 

